The story of the earth in past ages


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ABSTRACT PROF. SEELEY tells the geological story of the earth in an orderly, though not strikingly luminous, manner. Beginning with evidence of the earth's internal heat, he passes to


the materials of mountain chains, and then to the consideration of volcanic rocks. With reference to the latter section, it seems to us that his descriptions of the compositions of


rhyolites, trachytes, andesites, and basalts are more suitable for a text-book than for a book intended for popular reading. In fact, Prof. Seeley has too exalted an idea of the knowledge of


the general public, who, we are afraid, will not be able to understand a large part of his little book. Few of his unscientific readers will have any idea conveyed to them by remarks such


as follow: “The bivalve shells are usually species of _Cyclas_, or _Unio_, or _Anodonta_. The univalve shells are either the pond shells _Planorbis, Paludina_, and _Limnæa_, or such river


shells as _Neritina_, and the freshwater limpet.” Similar instances of the use of technical nomenclature without explanation could be quoted from almost every chapter in the book. The Story


of the Earth in Past Ages. By Prof. H. G. Seeley Pp. 196. (London: George Newnes, Ltd., 1895.) Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content,


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The Story of the Earth in Past Ages. _Nature_ 53, 77 (1895). https://doi.org/10.1038/053077c0 Download citation * Issue Date: 28 November 1895 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/053077c0 SHARE


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